Panels assist file and object creation by providing information, controls, and actions contextual to the workflow. They respond to the broader context of the file or directly to user’s selection. As containers, they support any combination of text and controls from the Fiori component library.

Types & Usage

Use panels in creation spaces to support the workflow with additional content, tools, and configurations. The four panels listed in this page fulfill distinct roles in file or object creation and should not be used interchangeably. Please see individual panels to learn about their specific use cases:

Harmonizing Panel Usage

Consider reducing the number of panels being used within a space to reduce the interaction costs demanded from the user. The more an app relies on panels for key features, the more effort is needed by the user to discover and find such features hidden inside panels.

Instead, prioritize acting in-place and in-line in the main content area’s floorplan itself as much as possible. If a task can be self-contained, then dialog boxes are a reliable modal alternative.

Panels are not the right component for every object creation scenario. In fact, they are awkward when they have little content, and they are hard to manage when they have too much content.

It’s important to understand these nuances because for every panel listed above, there are alternative components that may be more suitable for handling higher or lower volumes of content. For example:

• If your content fills less than 1/3 of the panel, use a popover, quickview, or dialog instead.
• If your content fills more than double the full length of the panel, use a dialog or even an object page instead.